Maintenance
by Torchedgirl
Summary: A series of tales that chart how Ianto is one of the most important members of the team. COMPLETE!
1. Gwen

AN: Hi there. After the success of my last story I have decided to create a series of stories that build on Ianto's character. I feel that in the second series Ianto will have a bigger role. I think that Russell T Davies will examine his character more, or I hope so.

So here is my first, I hope you like.

Maintenance 

Ianto always felt that if he took just one day off from working at the Hub, it would fall into disarray. He was always at the back of things but that is the way that he liked it. He cleaned up after the team, kept records and ordered food when the team returned from missions. He also provided emotional support when the team couldn't get any lower.

Like a few weeks after Gwen joined. The extra hours were putting pressure on her relationship with Rhys. She came into the Hub one day; her face was red from crying.

She hurried past Ianto and the rest of the team, dabbing her eyes with a crumpled tissue. She slumped onto her desk and began to catch up with the day's work.

Owen and Tosh gave each other the same concerned look. This was the fourth time this week that she had come to the Hub close to, or in, hysterics. Owen had tempted to talk to her the first time; all that he achieved was a shouting match from Gwen. Jack had tried the second time, he got the same treatment, and Ianto mused at the look of shock on his face when she snapped at him. It was the first time that Ianto had seen real fear on Jack's face. Tosh tried a couple of days ago, but just gave up when she was three steps away from Gwen; she didn't want to risk her wrath.

Ianto decided to have a go. He prepared Gwen's favourite mug of coffee, Brazilian bean with a hint of vanilla. This always made Gwen smile after a hard day. He then grabbed the packet of chocolate bourbons and made his way to Gwen's station.

He was in the boardroom at the time, he passed Owen first. He was heading up to fetch his autopsy reports from the table. He saluted Ianto as he walked by, Ianto nodded and continued down the stairs. Jack was lounging on the sofa near the autopsy room; he waved to Ianto and mouthed 'good luck'. He then made a thumbs up sign and continued to walk on towards Gwen's desk. He passed Tosh; she was running a program that would find their latest alien. She smiled weakly then continued to run her program.

Ianto reached Gwen's desk, he made no sign that he wanted to talk, and he simply placed his meagre peace offering on the table next to her. She stopped what she was doing and looked at the plate. Ianto turned and made his way back up to the boardroom to clean up after last night's late shift.

"Ianto." Said Gwen; her voice was small and shaky. All the other team members looked up suddenly. They all feared the worst, even Ianto.

He turned slowly, expecting a fire-breathing dragon that would flay his skin and chew his bones. He looked at Gwen and saw a smile that had been missing for a while. She walked over to Ianto and stood in front of him, she smiled wider and made a gesture that she wanted a hug. Ianto obliged and breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Thanks Ianto." Gwen muttered as she pulled away and walked back to her work. Ianto smiled to himself and turned back to clean up the Hub. He was met by the stares from the rest of the team; they all had the same surprised look on their faces.

Later in the day Gwen waved happily at Ianto as she left the Hub. Ianto liked the feeling when he could help his friends.

Jack patted him on his shoulder as he left for home.

"What would we do without you?" Asked Jack as Ianto opened the information centre door to leave.

"The entire Hub would be demolished in the time it takes you to work the coffee machine. Sir" He added the 'sir' as an afterthought. Jack simply smiled and let Ianto go home.

Ianto was the most important part of the team, but he was just modest.

Hope you liked. R&R.


	2. Owen

AN: Here you go, the next chappie in my line of Ianto stories. Here is the next member, Owen the guy you love to hate…or hate to hate…or…never mind.

Owen had come into the Hub hung over many times. Most of those times he snapped at the first living thing he saw then retreated to his autopsy room to cut up an unfortunate corpse. The last time that he came in with a killer of a hang over, Gwen had made the mistake of telling him off for staying up all night drinking. The following scene was one that Gwen did not want repeated.

Owen had come up to Gwen's face, inches from her nose. He smiled grimly.

"Well, I guess you really do think that you can control the rest of us. You swan in here thinking you can tell me what to do, but I can do what I like. If I want to destroy my liver and kill myself from the inside then I can!"

He stopped and glared at Gwen, the sheer look of terror on her face made Owen feel a little better.

"Like you would care anyway" That last statement hit Gwen hard.

After that Gwen had kept her distance from Owen, much to his dismay.

Ianto felt that Jack's industrial strength coffee would be the best for Owen now. He prepared the magic brew in the boardroom machine. When the scent wafted through the Hub, Ianto made his way down to offer Owen some relief. As he passed Jack, he felt Jack put something in his jacket pocket. He looked at the small tub and smiled.

Jack had moaned at Owen once for the incompetence of the 21st century medication. He had a killer of a headache and needed something stronger to quell the pounding. Owen had spent the next three hours experimenting with various medications. By midday Jack was close to being locked up with the weevil for moaning about his headache. That was when Owen slammed the pot of magic pills on his desk with a glass of water and sauntered back to his own station.

The effect was instant and Jack was a lot happier. Since it was so effective Owen had run off quite a few of the magic pills, they came in handy for the extreme pain that the team had to suffer. Ianto recognised the pills instantly, because they had the Torchwood insignia on each pill. One of the topics that were brought up over late night coffee was how Owen had got the little logo on them.

Ianto passed Gwen on the way down; she was steering clear of Owen. She smiled as she saw the coffee and pills. She gave him a pat on the shoulder and continued up to talk to Jack.

Ianto then passed Tosh, another smile and a pat on the arm. Ianto felt like he was going to defuse a nuclear bomb. He took a deep breath, then headed over to Owen's desk.

Owen was slumped over his keyboard; his hands were under his head and was breathing deeply. He was probably asleep, Ianto placed the coffee close to Owen's face so that the tart aroma would wake him up gently, and he then placed the pot of pills close by. Ianto padded away softly, back to his obsessive cleaning and making coffee for the rest of the team.

At the end of the day Owen had a bit of a spring in his step. As he left for home Owen nodded politely at Ianto and smiled. This was quite an achievement for Ianto, this was the first time today that Owen had smiled at anyone.

Ianto was the most important member of the team, he just chose to sit back and watch the action. He hated the adrenaline rush, it crumpled his suit.

Hope u liked. R&R!


	3. Toshiko

AN: Here is the third part of this tale. Step up…Tosh.

Ianto jumped at the loud sneeze that came from Tosh's station as he walked by with his big, black bin bag. Then another and another and another. He turned to see the puffy red eyes and swollen nose of a very ill Tosh.

"Toshiko, you should go home. You're too ill to work." Cooed Ianto as he patted her shoulder. She turned and looked at Ianto, her cheeks were flushed and her hair was limp. She really did look like death warmed up. Ianto put a hand to her forehead and was shocked at the heat that was coming from her small frame. He tutted and ruffled her hair affectionately.

He then grabbed her hand and pulled her away from her workstation and onto the sofa located near the autopsy room. Tosh attempted to pull away but either Ianto had a strong grip on her or she was too weak to escape. Ianto placed her on the sofa with care and fluffed a couple of the pillows behind her so that she was comfortable.

Ianto pointed a finger at Tosh as he warned her to 'stay where she was' and that he would be back in a moment. Tosh relished the comfort of not working while at the Hub. She was always tapping at her keyboard and staring at the blinking screen in front of her.

Ianto had dealt with colds often; not last week Jack had come from the small hole in his floor where is his bed was contained with the most horrible bout of flu. He had smiled blearily at Ianto and sat at his desk. He slumped over the clutter and coughed roughly, his chest heaving with every breath he took. Ianto had shook his head and forced him back down the hatch and wait for a large mug of honey and lemon tea.

Jack hadn't complained at the attention, while he was awake that is. Jack had slept most of the day, he only woke up when Ianto came to top us the medication that Owen had given him or to give him another mug of honey and lemon tea.

Ianto had the same treatment in store for Tosh. Large doses of Owen's magical medication and plenty of honey and lemon tea. Ianto also grabbed a box of tissues and the biggest packet of chocolate chip cookies. Ianto found that when he was ill he like to indulge in chocolate and other foodstuffs that would not be good for his health.

When Ianto came back to Tosh she was dozing on the sofa, she looked up at the plate of heaven that Ianto was clutching and smiled weakly. Ianto handed her the pills and made sure she took them before handing her the honey and lemon tea and the packet of cookies. She murmured in pleasure as she took a bite of the cookie and a sip of the tea.

Ianto was pleased with what he had done and felt that Tosh would be fine for a few hours, when he would top up her dose.

By the end of the day Tosh was a lot better and was even able to present her evidence that the weevil that they had found a week ago was indeed related to 'Janet' who was in the cells.

Before Tosh left at the end of the day, she pulled Ianto into a large embrace. He was shocked at first; none of the other team members had hugged him…ever! He got over his initial shock and hugged back.

"Thanks for looking after me. No one else would have." Thanked Tosh

"Don't mention it. That's what I'm here for" Replied Ianto.

Tosh then planted a small kiss on Ianto's cheek and pulled away swiftly. In a whirl of papers she disappeared through the information centre door into the blowing gale. Ianto was taken aback, he rubbed the cheek where Tosh had kissed it open-mouthed. He then smiled and walked back to his desk. He hummed to himself as he closed down his computer and set off home.

Ianto was the most important member of the team, he just never pointed it out to anyone.

There. R&R


	4. Jack

AN: Ok this fic is now officially on the community lists so I'm really happy!

So here is the charismatic Captain Jack Harkness.

Ianto always came into the Hub early whether it was the weekend or if there was nothing big going on. He had the habit of cleaning the Hub before everyone else came in. he had no idea why, the Hub was just as messy at the end of the day as when he cleans up in the morning. It was just one of those things that Ianto did to make sure that he was doing something. He wanted to do more for the team other than bring coffee and cover up deaths.

Jack called it OCD, but Ianto knew that he could stop cleaning if he was told to…for at least 10 minutes. Jack had once made a bet that if he could stop cleaning the Hub for a full day, Jack would triple his pay for the week. Ianto had jumped at the thought of more money; he needed it to buy a new coffee purgulator for the Hub and at home.

So the challenge was set and the rest of the team promised that they would not aggravate Ianto or tease him to make it fair. But by Midday Ianto was shaking, he could see the bacteria and other nasties crawling over each and every surface that he came near. By two o'clock Ianto had snapped and rushed to his cleaning cupboard. He pulled out all the cleaning materials he had and began to clean all the surfaces. Jack had left him to his work, but when he stopped he sprung the forfeit that the team had agreed on if he failed.

So Ianto had spent the rest of the afternoon completely naked on the perception filter outside the Hub. When Jack brought him back inside, everything was standing on end; it was rather chilly outside. Ianto had complained that whenever Jack came up with a dare for him, the consequences always came up with him being nude.

Today Ianto heard solemn singing coming from Jack's office; it was 6 in the morning so Jack couldn't be up at this hour…could he?

Ianto didn't want to interrupt Jack, if he was awake.

Ianto tiptoed to where he could see Jack, without Jack seeing him, and stared at the singer.

Jack was slumped on his desk with a large whiskey bottle in his hand. He was singing a forties song that Ianto recognised from his collection. Jack then took a rather large swig from the bottle and winced as the tart liquid burned his throat.

Jack then uttered something; Ianto leaned forward to listen.

"This…is for you…Rose." Slurred Jack.

"…and The Doctor…for leaving me on that god forsaken station all alone! Good friends…HA!" He laughed loudly; the chuckle turned to sobs as Jack covered his head with his arms.

It broke Ianto's heart to see Jack like this, it was happening more often since Jack found the records of the people that had died at Canary Wharf. Ianto remembered Jack's face when he saw a particular name on the list of the dead. He had told everyone to go home; Ianto had lingered at the Hub to see if Jack was OK. He saw Jack smash various objects in his office before sliding down his wall and sobbing quietly.

Ianto plucked up the courage to walk to Jack's office. He opened the door slowly, Jack didn't take any notice.

Ianto then walked round to where Jack was sat and put an arm around his shoulders. Jack stopped sobbing and looked up at Ianto. He smiled weakly and put a hand on Ianto's.

"Been a year now." He slurred, Ianto pulled the bottle of whiskey away from Jack, better not let him have any more alcohol.

"I should have been there, I could have…could have helped." Jack hit the desk with his fist. He placed his arms on the desk and slammed his head into them. Ianto heard a muffled "Thanks Yan". Ianto smiled and decided that Jack would need something to wake him up.

10 minutes later Jack and Ianto were sat together drinking the strongest coffee in the Hub. Jack had been telling Ianto how he had been captured by the Cybermen just as they were sucked back through the Void.

The memory of Canary Wharf panged in Ianto's head, Jack didn't know that his Cyber girlfriend was fighting for her life in the bowels of the Hub. Ianto simply nodded and listened to what Jack had to say. When he fell silent they heard the other team members stumble in, they had an early wake up call for an alien sighting in Splott.

Jack handed Ianto his empty mug as he left Jack to get changed and face the new day. Gwen smiled and waved at Ianto as he prepared the boardroom for the meeting, he waved back as she sat down. Then Tosh sent up an email telling him what system she wanted ready for her lecture…and the coffee that she wanted with a little smiley face at the end of the email. Ianto chuckled at the email, as there was a new joke about Owen that Tosh had invented.

Owen then sauntered in, late as usual when the others were all in the boardroom. He muttered an apology to Jack and then took his place next to Gwen. Ianto gave Owen a strong coffee to get rid of the remnants of a fulfilling night of drinking and picking up women. Owen gracefully took the mug and breathed in the aroma and smiled.

Jack listened to Toshiko's analysis of the craft that they had found on CCTV and gave his opinion. Before they set off to get the craft, Jack thanked Ianto for the help earlier. Ianto wavered off his thanks and simply replied…

"Its my job to get you lot held together, cant let another suicide ruin the Torchwood team now can we?"

Jack smiled and patted Ianto's shoulder and ran after the others. When they were gone Ianto headed down to see the girl he kept hidden from them, to tell her about what was happening and that he had found a doctor to help them.

Ianto was the most important member of the team, but he kept a great secret from them that was soon to be discovered.

R&R


	5. Ianto

AN: Ok final chapter people. So here he is the charismatic, fit as hell, looks great in a suit, has the most perfect voice and will make your heart melt with one look from those gorgeous eyes…Ianto Jones. Teaboy by day…international heartbreaker by night.

Gone. That was all he could say. Gone. She was gone, his life was gone, his friends were gone and worst of all...after all his help that he had given them, they were the ones that had ended it so abruptly.

He had watched in horror as Lisa had tried to take over the Hub, all so that they could be together forever. He cried in pain as she threw him across the room and howled in dismay as they fired bullet after bullet in the body that she had taken to be with Ianto.

He was sat alone now, in the darkness, cradling her limp body. Her soulless eyes glared at him, the sparkle gone now, the sparkle that he had fallen in love with, all that time ago.

No one had come near him, he knew they could see him on the CCTV that they had rewired after Ianto had pulled it out to keep Lisa a secret. He knew they were glaring at him, blaming him for all this mess.

He sobbed mournfully, begging the ground to open up and swallow him, anything was better than the pain that he was feeling. Then he heard a sound from near the door.

He looked up sharply at the figure in the doorway. He heard the familiar voice and turned away, back to his Lisa, whom she had killed.

"Ianto, are you ok?" Asked Gwen.

What a stupid question, of course he wasn't ok, he was heartbroken. He wanted to curl up and die right then and there. What was the point in life if he didn't have Lisa?

Gwen walked up towards Ianto knelt beside him.

"Jack wants you to come back upstairs, he…needs to speak to you." She mumbled as she stared at the lifeless form in Ianto's arms.

"What, so he can shoot me too. Leave me alone Gwen. Just…leave me here." Ianto begged.

Gwen shook her head slowly.

"Jack said you have to come up…now."

"_Leave me alone!" _ Cried Ianto, he didn't realise at first but he said it in Welsh, she looked shocked at scrambled to her feet.

"Please…just leave me here. You can't help me. No one can" Stated Ianto. Gwen walked away; she stopped at the door, ready to speak. But she thought better.

He was alone again, he decided that he didn't want to grieve any more, so he set about cleaning up the bodies. He started with Lisa, the Cyberwoman.

Jack had anticipated this, so he left body bags outside the door. Ianto placed her in the bag; he stared at the lifeless eyes as he zipped it up. He then bundled the second body into the second bag. He was more vigorous with the zip.

He then cleaned and scrubbed, to mask the horrid odour that came from the corpses. He then dismantled the conversion unit that he had scavenged from the wreck of Torchwood 1.

He toiled for hours, his eyes stung with tears, his back ached and his hands were rubbed raw from cleaning.

After 12 hours, he finally collapsed from exhaustion. Owen rushed down and dragged him back up to the medical bay. The list of ailments was as long as your arm.

Exhaustion, dehydration and other signs that his body couldn't take any more. Gwen stayed over night to help Jack keep an eye on the battered and bruised Ianto. On his forehead was an angry, red bruise with a large gash in the centre. His back and legs were bruised from being thrown across the Hub.

Jack sighed deeply and shook his head.

"Why didn't he tell anyone, why would he hide her from us. If she wasn't a psycomaniac…we could have helped her. I mean…look at all the technology that we have. There has to be something in all this mess that we could have used to help her?"

Gwen nodded; she looked back at Ianto. He stirred and groaned softly. Jack and Gwen rose from their seats and stepped over to the waking Ianto.

"Lisa?" He croaked softly. Gwen's heart broke as he stared around madly.

"No Ianto, she's dead…remember?"

Ianto stopped and looked at the ceiling.

"…No…please I…" Then Ianto remembered, the cries and whiz of the bullets past his ears. He sat up slowly, placed his head in his hands and began to weep. Gwen put an arm round his shoulders. He pulled away at first, but then slumped against her and wept harder.

He couldn't take the sheer pain in his heart, he had never felt anything like it in his life and he hoped he would never again.

Gwen calmed him; she looked up at Jack. His face was cold and stony. He sighed again and walked away.

It was late into the night before Ianto was lead by Gwen to Jack's office. He was sat in his chair, his chin propped up on his hands. He was staring at Ianto as he walked up to the desk and stood in front of Jack.

"You have probably broken over 70 rules, protocols and policies with your 'secret'. Why Ianto? Why didn't you ask for our help? We could have helped her." Jack began in a dull tone, then his voice filled with emotion.

"I did. I asked when I first came here. But you ignored me. Like you always do. I saved her myself. I asked Owen to set up the monitors, promising that I would tell the rest of you later…then…I would ret-con him."

Jack gapped at what Ianto had said.

"Firstly…I'm sorry that I didn't understand you the first time and secondly…HOW COULD YOU RET-CON OWEN!" Cried Jack. He had jumped to his feet and slammed his fists on the desk. Ianto flinched slightly, then regained his composure.

"I couldn't let her die Jack. I saw what you did to the other person that we found, he was better that Lisa and you just switched off the machines and let him die. I'm sorry I drugged Owen…but…I couldn't let her go. I…couldn't face life without her." Ianto hung his head.

"Go on then…shoot me…ret-con me. Just do it now…I want to forget." Ianto begged. He dropped to his knees. All the time, he hadn't looked at Jack. Gwen had remained silent.

Jack walked around and pulled out his dated gun. He pointed it at Ianto's head and cocked the trigger. The noise was deafening.

Gwen had turned her head and was sobbing softly.

Ianto didn't feel any different. He looked up and saw Jack staring down at him. The gun was still smoking…pointed at the ceiling.

Ianto looked at Jack puzzled, Jack's face changed…he smiled.

"Cant get rid of my favourite teaboy now can I?" Jack asked.

"Sir?" Asked Ianto.

Jack pulled him to his feet and placed his hands on Ianto's shoulders.

"You tried your best to save someone you loved. I guess you had your reasons…stupid as they were. You're in big trouble…you know that? Overtime…no extra pay…and you have to clean out Myfwanwy for 3 months. Owen's punishment from last week can wait." Jack chortled.

Ianto didn't smile.

"Anyway…emotional pain is more than I can dish out."

Ianto went home that night, glad for the mercy that he was shown, but shocked by what Jack had said about emotional pain.

Then the incident in the country…pushed him over the edge. Ianto was scared to death at the things that he had seen.

When Jack burst through the wall, Gwen was cuddling him close, whispering something to him in Welsh.

The villagers subdued, Jack walked over and pulled him to his feet and removed the gag. Back at the Hub Ianto didn't want to go home and sleep. The things that he had seen would haunt him for weeks.

So he stayed at the Hub. Jack went to bed as soon as the others had gone, Ianto sat alone in the Hub on the sofa. He soon fell asleep, his dreams haunted by cannibals and the cold metal of the meat cleaver against his throat.

He yelled in fear and awoke to find Jack running up to him. Jack was in a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a white shirt. He sat beside Ianto and asked him about the dream. Ianto simply shook his head, he didn't want to remember the dream. Jack nodded and went to make Ianto coffee.

It tasted disgusting, but he drank it anyway.

The pain that Ianto had felt in those few weeks since Lisa died was phenomenal.

But he put up with it. He couldn't let the Hub fall into disrepair without him.

Ianto was the most important member of the team…and they all knew it.

As he had said before.

"I clean up your shit everyday, no questions asked. When was the last time you asked me about my life?"

And they were beginning to realise…Ianto was the alien and they had simply swept him away…like all the other bits of life that feel through the Rift.

They had forgotten to be human…who could teach them to be human again? Before Ianto goes too far.

R&R…next story…

**RIFTANGEL**

'_What is she?'_

'…_an…angel.'_


End file.
